


Camelot's Prince

by KilgarraghForever



Category: Cinderella (1950), Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cinderella Fusion, Because The Clara Echos Always Die, Cameos, F/M, How Do I Tag, I Have Not Proofread This, Minor Character Death, Romance, i have no Beta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:01:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24356995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KilgarraghForever/pseuds/KilgarraghForever
Summary: Arthur Pendragon's Father, Uther, has molded Arthur's life to fit his specifications, recently trying to find his son a wife. Arthur, however, has gotten rather annoyed about the seemingly endless stream of women Uther throws at him. Oh, did I mention that they're royalty?
Relationships: Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Kudos: 4





	1. The Prologue

My first distinct memory is of my mother. She sings to me, a song as old as rhyme that I cannot remember the words to. I remember her kind smile, her sparkling eyes, and her beautiful voice. If I close my eyes, I am transported to another time, when I had no worries and I did not know of the cruelty of fate.

My second distinct memory is of sitting in a cold, grey building, next to my father, dressed in a scratchy suit. If I concentrate now, I can make out weeping and an anguished wail. I think that was me. Around this building, people I did not recognize sat, wearing black, looking solemnly at a tall man in a tall hat at the front of the room. He stood next to a wooden casket, draped in a black cloth, topped with flowers and my mother's portrait. Young as I was, my four-year-old self understood I would never hear my mother singing to me outside of my memories.

Everything since then has been 'training' - learning to be the perfect Prince, eventually King. Oh, right, and how to select the perfect Queen to rule at my side. My father has taught me to rule firmly, but fairly. Except for magic. Father has gone on and on about the evils of magic. He says it corrupts people, makes them evil, and evil means they must be irradiated. I'm not so sure all 'sorcerers', as Father calls the magic users, are as bad as he says, but I don't dare voice my opinions. I made the mistake of disagreeing with my father once and was punished for my insolence. Father says he is being kind, and most other parents would beat me harder. He says he is going soft. He has taught me how to fight, mostly against magic, but with the sword too. He says I am proficient. This is high praise for him.

My entire life has been planned out, and I have been molded to fit Father's ideal son.

The only thing he has not succeeded to find is his ideal daughter-in-law. Mostly because I keep rejecting them. It's my own little act of rebellion, the only one I can get away with.


	2. The Main Event

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the Main Thing. It's Quite Long but it's much Better than The Prologue.

Ever since the age of eight, Father has waved girls in my face from far and wide, desperate to find me an 'eligible' match. From his failed efforts, I have made many good friends, like Sophia and Isolde, but I have never chosen one. I resent the pressure Father puts on me to choose a bride, matching his definition of 'eligible'. Since my eighteenth birthday, Father had become increasingly frantic in his efforts. Somehow, he exhausted the world's supply of Princesses, so he began to present me with nobles' daughters, claiming they are 'eligible'.

I hate that word. What does it even amount to if my bride is 'eligible' or not? If I am to marry, it will be out of love and not circumstance. Honestly, I might not even marry: I don't see why I need to. I'm perfectly capable of ruling on my own, but Father seems to believe that if I don't have a wife, I'll fail as a King, and Camelot, my kingdom, will fall into ruin. He says that I'm marrying for the good of Camelot and that love has nothing to do with anything. I disagree. If I have to spend the rest of my life with someone, I want to enjoy their company and love them, rather than be shackled to them because Father deemed them 'eligible' and forced me into a marriage.

A few days before my twentieth birthday, Father requested that I (read: forced me to) meet yet another 'eligible' maiden. She was the daughter of some Lord and appeared just as annoyed and bored as I felt. We were put in the room I call 'The Eligible Room', where Father has had me meet with just about every girl in Avalon with some sort of social standing. It contained two chairs, a table, some sort of fruit and had a large window. I hated the place. The newest girl and I sat down and began to talk. Apparently, she was called Lady Vivian, had been forced here by her parents, and had very strong opinions. She was intelligent, strong, and determined to be the complete opposite of stereotypical females. We talked as friends, mostly about a thing Vivian called 'sexism'.

"What I don't understand," I ranted, "is why he thinks I need to have a wife!" Vivian grinned at me.

"Prince Arthur," she began, but I cut her off.

"Just Arthur, please,"

"Okay then, 'Just Arthur'," she joked, causing me to chuckle. "The truth is, you don't _need_ a wife or a Queen, and if your sister, Morgana, was to rule she wouldn't _need_ a husband. But tradition means that royalty is forced to marry to carry on his or her line. Tradition, in my opinion, is just peer pressure from old dead people, so the tradition can get lost!" she explained passionately. We laughed. Then the door opened, and silence descended on the room. We left and found our fathers waiting for us. I said goodbye to Vivian and her father, discreetly shaking my head at my own, who frowned judgmentally towards Vivian, who stared defiantly back. I smirked and slipped away, into my room, and changed into my normal clothes rather than the stuffy outfit Father insisted I wore to impress potential brides. Then I avoided my father and made my way to the stables, stealing an apple from the kitchens for Llamrei, my horse. When I arrived, I found my manservant, Merlin, tacking up Llamrei and saddling her. He let out an undignified yelp when I spoke.

"Merlin?"

Merlin whirled around so fast that he fell over. He probably would have anyway, being the clumsiest servant in the five kingdoms.

"Arthur!" he exclaimed, studying my appearance. He narrowed his eyes. "Another one?" I nodded. Merlin had this way of knowing when Father had forced me to meet with another girl. "How far are you riding this time?"

Another thing. Almost every time Father forced me to meet with some 'eligible' maiden, I went riding after. I guess I thought that if I rode fast enough or far enough, I could escape my problems.

"As far as I can," I answered, already taking Llamrei's reins from Merlin.

"I'm coming too," Merlin stated, already bringing out his own horse, Awyr. He held up a hand to stop me from protesting. "As your friend, not your manservant." I nodded, and we mounted our horses. What Merlin said was true. We had grown up together, as Father hired Merlin when I was thirteen and he was ten. He was basically my little brother. My sister, Morgana, said that we were like two sides of the same coin. She treated Merlin as a younger sibling too, her being about the same age as me. Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked. We rode out of the gates and into the forest.

* * *

"Do you remember that feast in July? When Uther got so drunk he danced with one of the hunting dogs?" Merlin asked, grinning. We laughed together as we rode further into the forest. Bandits were common, but attacking in broad daylight wasn't their style. Besides, we were near some Lady's manor house. It would be foolhardy to mug us here. Merlin opened his mouth to continue but closed it almost immediately when a beautiful voice filled the air. At first, I thought it was a sorcerous trying to enchant us, so I drew my sword and pointed it in front of me. Merlin, being the sarcastic idiot he is, rolled his eyes. We dismounted and crept towards the source in silence. It grew louder and more powerful, and I could just make out the words. "Thank the goddess," I muttered under my breath when I realized they were in English, not the twisted language sorcerers use to cast spells. Sheathing my sword, I tried to distinguish the lyrics, making out something about 'dreams' and 'heart makes'. I don't know. I was more focused on the sound of the voice. She, for it was definitely a girl singing, sounded like if you took 'Once Upon A Dream', then had Ariana Grande and Beyonce sing it in harmony, with a full orchestra playing, then had them perform in the Royal Albert Hall with Lewis Capaldi singing the male vocals. (I don't know who any of those people are, but Merlin says they'll be relevant to whoever reads this.) In other, shorter words, absolutely beautiful.

We moved over to the hedge that separated us from the singer, and I peered through the leaves. No, I'm not a stalker, I just wanted to see who was singing. Try as I might, I could only make out a few glimpses of dark hair and yellow fabric. Merlin stumbled over his feet behind me, causing the angel singing to stop as he cursed. " _Mer_ lin" I hissed at him. We ran off before she could see us. Then I gently punched Merlin in the shoulder. "You clumsy idiot!" We mounted our horses, and the entire way back the only thing I talked about was the angel we'd heard singing. Merlin was obviously bored with the topic, looking back, but he didn't say anything as I rambled on about her.

Eventually, we reached the castle, and Merlin took the horses back to their stables as a small boy carrying a scroll ran up to me, panting.

"Message... For Prince Arthur," he puffed out, offering me the scroll. I took it, thanking the boy and sending him on his way. Opening the scroll, I say it bore my father's signature, and, reading it, realized that it was a summons to the throne room. I changed out of my riding clothes, then made my way to the room, knocking on the large oak doors.

"Enter!" boomed Father's voice, as I pushed the door open. "Ah! Arthur! Just the boy I wanted to see." I refrained from pointing out that it was him who'd summoned me there, and that I would be 20 in a few days time, far past childhood. "I have good news!" he continued, unaware of my silent complaints. "Since it is your birthday in a few days, I have planned a ball to celebrate!" I cursed under my breath but smiled at the man sitting on the ornate throne in front of me. I knew he was trying to be sincere, but I was certain that there was a subtext of 'THIS IS TO FIND YOU A WIFE!' underneath. I was right.

"May I see the invites?" I asked. Father grinned at me and handed over a cream-coloured, gold-bordered invite.

"Of course!" he exclaimed as I read it, trying not to grimace. Blah blah blah... Ah. Here it is. 'Every eligible maiden must attend!' Great. I gritted my teeth t the thought of all the introductions I'd have to sit through.

* * *

Over the next few days, everyone was preparing for the ball. On the afternoon of the ball, Merlin entered my room carrying several outfits over his arm, obviously struggling not to drop them. He eventually dropped them on my bed. Then he held up the first choice, and I made a face that Merlin has compared to a 'Sam Winchester bitchface'. I don't know what in Avalon a Sam Winchester bitchface is, but apparently you reading this might understand. Anyway, the hideous thing Merlin was holding, obviously trying not to laugh, was horrendously pink. Imagine the pinkest pink you've ever seen, make it seven times brighter, then add a ridiculous amount of glitter, and even then you probably can't imagine exactly what this monstrosity looked like. And, to add a cherry of horror to this banana split of pain, it was a dress. I pointed this out to Merlin, who finally burst out laughing.

"That's why it's perfect for you, Princess!" he teased, dodging the flying pillow I'd thrown in his general direction. Merlin then held up the next one, and it wasn't another dress, but it wasn't much better. It was still bright pink. I shook my head in disgust, then Merlin and I got through most of the pile from hell until there were only two left. The second-to-last was a typical Disney prince suit, Merlin says, and was white, gold, and shiny. I rolled my eyes and gestured to the pile of discarded items. The last one, however, I liked. It was a red jacket with the Pendragon crest stitched on the shoulder with gold thread, paired with black breeches and a white shirt. Merlin helped me into it, and I decided that this was the thing I'd wear.

Then I asked Merlin if he wanted to come to the ball. "As the Prince's friend, not manservant," I explained. Merlin nodded excitedly. "But you can't wear that," I continued, gesturing at his shabby clothing, and I held out an outfit from the reject pile. It was a purple shirt (the PSOS) with brown trousers and a brown jacket, and Merlin put it on, then tied his ever-present neckerchief around his pale neck. He did look okay, however. In a pale twiggy sort of way. He grinned at me, and I grinned back, thinking that with Merlin there, this ball would be a bit more interesting.

* * *

I was very, _very_ wrong. After the twentieth introduction, I was just about ready to die from the sheer boorishness of the whole thing. As someone announced the next two, I very nearly banged my head on the wall repeatedly. The two _things_ that were curtsying before me made me feel like I was going to throw up. The first one was wearing a dress the most putrid green I'd ever seen. I'm not even sure it could be called a dress - it looked more like a pea that someone had dipped in glue, then glitter. Her face was caked in more makeup that looked more suited to a drag queen than a lady attending a royal ball. The second one was even worse. Her face resembled Lady Cassandra O'Brien dot Delta 17. She's had so much done to her I doubted any of what originally made up Lady Cassandra hadn't been thrown to the pigs. Her dress, on the other hand, was basically rainbow coloured flounce and a bit of glitter. The sight of both of them together should be illegal. I tried my best to smile, but it came out as more like Sherlock's 'I don't have friends' face. Another suggested analysis by Merlin, our resident kook. The resident kook in question bowed, trying to avoid looking at the nightmares in front of us. He whispered, "They look perfect for you, Arthur," earning him a glare. Then I had a bright idea, and grinned like the cat that got the cream.

"My Ladies," I addressed the horror rejects. " This is Sir Gwaine and Sir Percival." I gestured to the aforementioned knights, attracting their attention. "I'm sure they'd be _honoured_ to accompany you both." Percival turned the green shade of Ugly #1's dress, but Gwaine sauntered straight over to Ugly #2 and took her hand, kissing it and winking flirtatiously. She giggled, then they walked off. Merlin muttered that he _cannot_ let Gwaine and Captain Harkness of the royal guard meet. I agree. Percival took Ugly #1's hand and lead her away. Merlin grinned at me.

"That was the last two," he cheered. I resisted the urge to punch the air before - "Nope, apparently there's one more." He pointed over at the last maiden I'd have to meet before I was free. My jaw hit the floor. It left a nasty bruise. I forgot about the pain as I saw the last one. She was drop-dead gorgeous. Clothed in a red velvet dress and wearing beautiful satin heels, she made her way across the room towards us, her gown trailing behind her. She had beautiful bronze skin and curled dark hair. She was looking around the room nervously as if someone would attack her. At the time, I hadn't noticed, but looking back, that's exactly what it looked like she was doing. At the time, I could only focus on her beautiful hazel eyes. She looked like she was a daughter of Aphrodite. I screwed my courage and made my way across the room to her, trying to look regal and confident. I'm assured that I didn't. I moved to stand in front of her, taking her hand and kissing it, hoping that my palms weren't sweating.

"It's a lovely evening," I remarked, leading her outside. She smiled, and it seemed like the room lit up. Or that might have been because George the Servant managed to light all the candles that had gone out quickly. Either way, her smile was amazing.

"It is," she agreed, and we talked about everything and nothing. The band began another song, and a thought struck me.

"Would you like to dance? With me?" I asked nervously. She laughed, like chimes in the wind, and we walked out onto the dance floor. Quiet descended on the room as we danced, no one joining us, all watching. We finished a song, then everyone clapped and I lead Angel away from the crowds of people and into the gardens. I spotted Merlin trying to politely fend off a pretty ginger-with-blonde-ends wearing a red dress, who seemed like she was interrogating Merlin. I watched him suffer for a few moments, then left for the gardens. Merlin followed us out, probably to keep an eye on us.

* * *

"The stars are beautiful tonight, aren't they?" I remarked. Angel looked up at the sky and smiled softly. I swear, her smile was more beautiful than the loveliest rose.

"They are," Angel agreed. I tried not to grin as I had an idea.

"Do you know what else is beautiful?" I asked, taking her hands in mine and looking into her eyes. She blushed. "Yo-" But a noise cut me off. It sounded as though someone, or some _thing_ , was following us. Silently, I motioned for Angel to stay behind me as I crept towards the source of the noise. Muttering that I could not understand met my ears, and I tensed. _Sorcerer._ I pulled aside the bushes to see...

Nothing.

The sorcerer must have escaped.

Sighing, I turned back to Angel, who had crept over to me while I was distracted. Taking her hand, I lead her back to the ballroom where the band had started to play the more lively songs now that everyone had a few drinks in them. I danced with Angel, twirling her and spinning and dancing the night away.

_Dong._

The clock struck midnight in its tower, the noise echoing around the castle.

_Dong._

I felt Angel's hand grip mine tighter.

_Dong._

I looked at her.

_Dong._

Angel's eyes were wide and panicked.

_Dong._

She pulled her hands from mine.

_Dong._

She turned away, speed-walking towards the door.

_Dong._

"I have to go!"

_Dong._

"Wait!"

_Dong._

She ran from the ballroom.

_Dong._

I followed, pursuing her through the crowds of people.

_Dong._

She ran down the steps and into a waiting carriage, that pulled away and drove out of sight.

_Dong._

As the last chime of midnight struck, I sank to my knees outside the entrance hall, staring out into the darkness. The angel was gone, and I didn't even know her name.

* * *

Merlin found me there a few minutes later, my head in my hands and the rain pouring on my head and puddling around my knees. It hadn't been raining when she was here, but it was now. Even the weather reflected my misery.

"Arthur! What the hell are you doing out here?" Merlin asked, pulling me to my feet. I stared out through the sheets of rain and darkness.

"She... She left," I replied. Saying it out loud was like a punch in the gut. She had really, actually left, and I would probably never see the only woman I've ever loved again. I sobbed.

"When?" Merlin asked, looking concerned as I wiped the water from my face. Whether it was rain or tears, I didn't know.

"Midnight," I muttered hoarsely. "When the clock struck twelve." Merlin scowled at nothing and whispered something. It sounded like, "Bloody Cailleach," then "Worse than Zeus, I swear," before he trailed off into unintelligible rambling under his breath.

"Sire, look!" Merlin cried, pointing out something red on the steps. For a horrible moment I thought it might have been blood, but as I got closer I saw it was actually a shoe. A red satin, high heeled shoe. One of Angel's shoes. I swiped it up, wondering how on earth Angel had managed to run in these things.

"This is her shoe," I told Merlin, dumbfounded.

"No _*b_ _eep*_ , Sherlock," Merlin said.

"Who?"

"Doesn't matter," he dismissed. "Anyway, you can use that to find the girl you were dancing with!"

"How?" I asked, not understanding how I could find someone with a shoe.

"You can get every girl who attended the ball, so every girl around your age in the kingdom, and have them put on the shoe. Then whoever it fits must be the one!" Merlin explained triumphantly. I looked at him quizzically.

"Merlin, there are bound to be hundreds of girls in the kingdom who are the same shoe size as her,"

"Trust me, Arthur, the person who makes these shoes makes _sure_ they only fit the person they were made for," Merlin said cryptically. I shrugged and decided that it was the best idea we had.

* * *

"Father!" I shouted the next morning, bursting into the throne room.

"Arthur. What has gotten into you?" Father asked, looking slightly angry, but I ignored it in favour of Angel.

"I met her!" I crowed. "I met the girl of my dreams, and now I need to find her!"

"Who is she?" Father was just as excited as I was.

"The one who fits this shoe!" I held up the slightly muddy red item.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Father asked, jumping up and waving his arms at the door. "Go find her!"

I was out the door in five seconds flat.

* * *

After the fiftieth house, I was starting to lose hope. A few of the girls we had tried had _kind of_ fit the shoe, but it wasn't a perfect fit and they looked nothing like the girl I'd danced with. One was blonde, wearing an orange shirt and blue trousers, one had skin so pale it was like a ghost and black hair, makeup and clothing, and another fiercely resembled the woman who had been interrogating Merlin at the ball. But none of them had even slightly resembled Angel. I had gotten Merlin and John Smith, a man with floppy brown hair, a strange jacket, and an even stranger necktie, to accompany me. For all his oddities, John Smith was incredibly intelligent and said he had come to Camelot 'for an adventure'. When I'd asked him if he wanted to come on my search, he'd been excited and had run out the room, shouting 'Geronimo!", whatever that means. Merlin held the satin shoe on a velvet pillow. It made everything more dramatic, I'd been told. John's job was to announce things and see if the shoe _really_ fit and hadn't been tampered with. So far, eight girls had swapped it for a replica in their own size, but John sussed them out every time, explaining very fast how he knew.

We knocked on the next house, and the rather ornate door had been answered by a stressed looking boy in his teens with shockingly white hair and green eyes that appeared to glow. He looked at us, shut the door, and opened it a few seconds later with a woman who resembled a toad in tow. She wore pink, and a pink hair bow adorned her mousy brown hair. Her toadlike mouth stretched across her round face, bulging eyes zeroing in on me.

"Hello!" John greeted her, shaking her hand despite her obviously disgusted look. "I'm the D- Ah, John Smith, and this is Merlin and Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot! We're here to -"

"To propose to my daughter! Which one?" the toad interrupted John. John looked at her sternly, and she shut her mouth.

"No, he's not here to propose to one of your daughters. Unless she fits this shoe," John told her, grabbing the shoe from its perch and waving it in the woman's face. She took a step back, eyes bulging even more. John put the shoe back. "So if you'd get all of the young ladies to come here, that'd be fantastic," he finished, and the white-haired boy led them inside.

"VIOLET! ROLANDA!" the toad screeched. Seconds later, the Drag Queen and Lady Cassandra 2.0 came flying down the stairs, and I tried not to groan. "My two lovely daughters," she said without a hint of sarcasm. John looked at her oddly, then bounded over to her.

" _All_ the young ladies, please. That includes maids, servants, embroiderers, kitchen staff, shoemakers, tailors, scullery maids, washerwomen, etc. etc. blah, blah, blah. Basically and female humans from 16 to 22. Brilliant!" John clapped his hands together and grinned. The toad waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, so John stepped out of her way. Once he thought she wasn't looking, he stuck his tongue out at her. I disguised a laugh as a cough, spotting Merlin cover his mouth, eyes glinting mischievously. The toad cleared her throat, _hem hem,_ and rung a little bell. At once, a girl with short brown hair, a round face, and intelligent eyes, who was dressed in rags ran into the room, standing formally in front of the toad, who flattened her overly pink dress and put the bell back into its pocket.

"This is Prince Arthur of Camelot and his servants," she purred.

"Oi!" muttered John.

"They are here to find the girl that fits this shoe-" She pointed at it. "- and marry her. Unfortunately, I highly doubt that it would fit you," the toad sniffed haughtily.

"Right then, let's get on with it, shall we?" John said, motioning to a chair that Lady Cassandra 2.0 and the Drag Queen both tried to sit on at the same time. Then the Drag Queen shoved her sister off, and settled herself into the chair, fluttering her eyelids at me. I grimaced. "You'll need to take your shoe off," John reminded her sarcastically. She reached down and pulled it off with a hard yank. John handed her the shoe, and the Drag Queen attempted to slip her foot inside it daintily, but when it would not go, she shoved at it for a while, unsuccessfully trying to force it on her foot. Eventually, Lady Cassandra 2.0 got fed up and snatched the shoe from her sister.

"Give it here!" she snapped, pushing her sister off the chair and sitting down on it. She, too, tried to force it on her foot, but it would not fit. She shoved and pulled and even tried taking her socks off, saying they were the reason it wouldn't fit. But, no matter what she tried, it would not fit her foot. John took it from her and offered it to Clara.

"Your turn, Miss..." John trailed off, looking at her oddly.

"Oswin. Clara Oswin," Clara Oswin replied.

"Clara Oswin." John offered her the shoe. Clara took it, removing her own shoe, and put it on. My eyes widened. It fit? No. No, it was too big. She handed John the shoe and replaced her own, getting up and looking at John intensely, almost like she recognised him.

"Thanks for your time, Lady Dolores," John forced out through gritted teeth. I smiled, glad to be going, but then a voice yelled out, stopping me in my tracks. The toad looked angry, Clara smiled, and Merlin and I were confused.

"Wait!"

Racing into the room came another girl, chocolate curls bouncing behind her, who ran up to me and looked at me imploringly. "Please don't leave yet, your Highness! I haven't tried the shoe!" she explained. Her eyes were beautiful. Before I could say anything, the toad had grabbed her by the arm and started shouting in her face.

"I told you to stay in your room! Stupid girl!" The toad slapped her, and that's when things went strange. I was furious and went to draw my sword, but before I could, the toad's hand started turning pink and black. The colours spread from her hand to her arm, her body changing as it spread. Her fingers fused together, webbing over, and eyes turned black and bulged out of their sockets. Her body and throat bloated as I looked on, horrified. (Are you ready? Are you ready?) Finally, it stopped, and where the Lady in pink once stood, was a pile of pink clothing and a toad, that ribbeted and hopped away. She didn't make it very far, however, as John Smith caught her, wearing gloves and began to poke at her.

"Ooo, now what do we have here?" he muttered and pulled out a metal cylindrical object. The tip lit up green and it made a noise like a bee. John continued muttering and I ignored him, turning my attention to the girl who the toad had slapped.

"Are you alright?" I asked, taking her hand. She smiled up at me, nodding. "Merlin, grab the shoe, would you?" I said. Merlin grabbed the shoe from where it had fallen during the chaos. He handed it to the girl, and she put it on, having no shoes to take off. It was a perfect fit. I stared at her, amazed. "Is it really you?" I asked. The angel smiled at me.

"Yes," she confirmed, and I hugged her.

"You know, I never did catch your name," I said slyly, releasing the angel and taking her hand.

"It's Guenievre," she introduced. I thought I heard someone gasp, but it was probably my imagination. "But most call me Gwen."

"Guinevere," I said. "It suits you."

"Well, I should hope so! It is my name!" Gwen joked. We laughed, and I had never felt so happy in my life.

"ARGHHH!" came the toad's voice, strangled and terrible. John ran out from... somewhere, looking oddly fascinated but scared, followed by the most hideous creature I'd ever seen. It was humanoid, and was clearly Lady Dolores, the toad herself, but she had great black eyes that bulged from the sockets, warty pink and black skin, webbed hands and feet, and a gaping maw. She croaked, then ran at Gwen, a murderous gleam in her cold, black eyes. One of her hands brushed against a house plant and it shriveled up, brown and dead. I gasped and pulled Gwen away from this monster, but it nearly touched her. The Thing glared and came around for another go.

"YOu liTTLe WReTCH!" it croaked. "I SHoulD HAVe kilLEd yOU WHeN I HAd thE CHAncE!" Merlin looked at me helplessly and terrified. And, for some odd reason, guilty. John Smith was too far away to do anything, Merlin was useless with any kind of weaponry, my sword had gotten flung out of reach and Gwen looked like she was about to pass out. I steeled myself to save Gwen the only way I could. The thing ran at us, but before I could do anything Clara came flying out of nowhere, brandishing my sword at the toad. She stabbed at it in a flurry of movement, dodging its flailing limbs and eventually piercing its flesh, right above the heart, killing it. The toad lay dead on the floor as Clara looked at us and smiled. Then she winced, and doubled over, falling to her knees. John and I were by her side in a heartbeat or two. John laid her on the floor, taking care so that she didn't touch the toad. Then we gasped in horror. Clara's dress was rotted away, and the skin we could see was blackened and dead.

The toad had gotten her.

Clara looked up at us, pain-filled eyes staring intensely. She grabbed my hand tightly, doing the same to John. "You take care of Gwen, or I swear I'll haunt your ass," Clara said to me, her voice determined and fierce, despite her obvious pain. I nodded, and she smiled. Then she looked at John. "Go back to your box," John looked gobsmacked. I had no idea what she was talking about. "And your Ponds." Clara Oswin's eyes closed. I looked away. This death was not necessary, Author. (If you're a Whovian, you'll realise it was. She always dies. Also, shut up, Arthur! You're not Deadpool!) "Run, you clever boy," Clara whispered. "And remember." Her hand went limp in mine. Gwen sobbed behind me, and I got up to hug her.

* * *

I held a funeral service for Clara Oswin, burying her in a grave marked with only her name and last words. It was a solemn affair, and John Smith holed himself up in his home afterward, and an investigation several days later found that he had left, leaving nothing behind. A neighbour reported having heard a wheezing sound the night prior. I got Father to offer jobs to all of the toad's staff and imprisoned her daughters for abuse and slave ownership. I invited Gwen to live with me in the castle. My father loved her and privately told me to hold onto her.

* * *

_About a year later_

Over the past year I had gotten to know Gwen very well. She had integrated herself into castle life and made friends with most of the castle's staff and nobles. She and Morgana got on like a house on fire. Father had set up eight romantic ambushes, once even staging a bandit attack when he knew I didn't have my sword on me. He then proceeded to kidnap us, and leave us in a clearing with a picnic basket and a red blanket the shape of a heart.

A few days before Gwen's birthday, I had gone to the blacksmith's and ordered a very special gift for her. A ring. It was a simple gold band with an inscription inside, reading, 'For you, my darling, anything,'. I had put it in a small wooden box and arranged a dinner for just the two of us in the gardens where I had taken Gwen that fateful evening, on her birthday. I had everything planned out. A candlelight dinner, then over a drink I would pull the box from its hiding place under my chair on the pretense of dropped cutlery, then propose. Needless to say, I was nervous. Extremely nervous. Even more nervous than a small child on their first day at a new school.

The evening came, and I was terrified. And then Gwen came into the candle's light. She was gorgeous. Wearing a light purple dress, it looked like she was floating on air as she came into the clearing. She sat down opposite me, smiling widely. Gwen looked so much better now compared to when I first met her. Her hair was glossier, her eyes sparkled, her face was fuller and her beautiful smile shone more often.

"What's all this, Arthur?" Gwen asked playfully, smoothing out her dress. I swallowed hard.

"It's... Um..."

Luckily, Merlin and a few other servants arrived with the food, interrupting my stuttered explanation. (Merlin just asked me who I think I'm kidding. I told him to shut up.)

"Dinner is served," one announced, then they all left, bar Merlin, who stayed to pour the wine and make sure I asked Gwen the question rather than 'chicken out'. Another phrase Merlin recommended. I have no idea what it means, but Merlin was sniggering when he suggested it.

After we had finished our food, and were lazily drinking from our goblets, Merlin poked me.

"What?" I hissed quietly.

"Ask her now," Merlin hissed back. "She's more likely to say 'yes'," I waved him off and screwed up my courage.

"Guinevere," I began, grabbing the box from its hiding spot. Gwen looked over at me, tilting her head slightly. "We've known each other for a year now," I continued, and she smiled. "And have been together for most of that time," She nodded. "I've realised that I... I want to be with you, for a long time. I've loved you ever since I first set eyes on you, that evening. I've loved you for every second from that point," The words were spilling out now. "And I've realised that I want to spend my life with you." I presented the box to her and opened the lid. "Gwen, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" Gwen grinned and flung her arms around me. "

"Yes! Yes, of course!" she shouted, then kissed me on the lips. I slipped the ring on her finger, and we toasted to our future.

* * *

(KillgaraghForever speaking: I don't know how wedding ceremonies work, so this is what you're getting.)

"Do you, Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot, take Guenievre Hynod to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Geoffrey of Monmouth, the castle librarian and priest asked me.

"I do," I smiled.

"Do you, Guinevere Hynod, take Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," Gwen confirmed.

"Then, by the powers vested in me, I now pronounce you, man and wife. You may now kiss the bride!" Geoffrey smiled, throwing his arms up as I dipped Gwen and kissed her. Cheers erupted as we kissed. Gwen threw her bouquet into the crowd as we walked down the aisle, and, to my shock, it hit Merlin, who was standing next to a large blue box, in the face, and he caught it, surprised.

"Merlin," I yelled to him. "You better make me the best man!" Gwen and I entered our carriage and drove off into the sunset.

THE END

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I hope you enjoyed this! Please leave a review if you did, or if you hated it and want to tell me, go ahead!
> 
> Oh, yeah! If you caught all the references and characters I've hidden (some are properly hidden, some are blatantly obvious)! BYE!


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